Item: Genesis GV80
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

With 274bhp, the diesel doesn’t have quite as much outright power at the petrol but it pulls much harder from low revs. It also has six cylinders (the petrol has four) so it’s smooth – indeed it runs equivalent diesel versions of the Q7 and X5 close for how well it isolates you and your passengers from noise and vibration.

3.0D

Estate

GENESIS

GV80

Even entry-level Premium Line trim comes with adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control and keyless start.

Premium Line

3.0D Premium Line 5dr Auto AWD

30d-premium-line-5dr-auto-awd

Alpina XB7

Audi Q7

Audi Q8

BMW X5

BMW X7

Bentley Bentayga

Genesis GV80

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Land Rover Discovery

Lexus RX

Lexus RX L

Maserati Levante

Mercedes G-Class

Mercedes GLE

Mercedes GLS

Mitsubishi Shogun

Range Rover

Range Rover Sport 

Range Rover Velar

Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Volkswagen Touareg

Volvo XC90

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The Genesis GV80 starts at broadly the same price as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q7/4x4/review/n87">Audi Q7</a>, so it’s more expensive than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/discovery/4x4/review/n17342">Land Rover Discovery</a> and cheaper than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x5/4x4/review/n38">BMW X5</a>. That’s only one dimension of costs, though – it’s important to factor in long-term ownership bills and what you’re actually getting for your money too.

Long-term costs aren’t helped by the fact that the GV80 is predicted to suffer <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-best-cars-for-depreciation-and-the-worst/n23009">depreciation</a>&nbsp;faster than all of those rivals we’ve just named. That's an unfortunate consequence of the Genesis brand not having the long and illustrious history here of its big European rivals. Neither of the engines is particularly economical either, and high CO2 emissions mean all versions of the GV80 fall in the top (37%) band of benefit-in-kind <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/company-car-tax-bands/n1255">(BIK)</a> tax.

More positively, you do get a fair amount of goodies for your money. Even entry-level Premium Line trim comes with adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control and keyless start. You'll need to upgrade to Luxury Line if you want genuine leather seats, heated rear seats and real wood trim on the dashboard.

We’ve already covered the GV80’s impressive Euro NCAP safety score, helped by the 10 airbags you get as standard along with automatic emergency braking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a>, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and lane-keeping assistance. More&nbsp;safety technology is available as part of the Innovation Pack.

While we don't have any&nbsp;UK-based reliability data just yet, Genesis has finished top of several ownership satisfaction surveys in the US, where it’s been selling cars for several years now.

Choosing an engine for the Genesis GV80 isn’t hard because there are just two: one petrol and one diesel. The petrol, a 2.5-litre turbo, packs a hefty 300bhp and can hit 60mph from a standstill in 7.7 seconds. That’s a perfectly respectable time, but there are much faster versions of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q7/4x4/review/n87">Audi Q7</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x5/4x4/review/n38">BMW X5</a>.

We’ve yet to try the petrol&nbsp;engine in the GV80, but we have sampled it in the G80 saloon – and it needs revving quite hard before it delivers its best performance. That's not an ideal trait in a car designed to waft its occupants around peacefully, which is why we suspect the 3.0-litre diesel is the better buy.

With 274bhp, the diesel doesn’t have quite as much outright power but it pulls much harder from low revs. It has six cylinders (the petrol has four) so it’s smooth too – indeed it runs equivalent diesel versions of the Q7 and X5 close for how well it isolates you and your passengers from noise and vibration.

Sadly, the GV80 doesn’t do such a great job of keeping road rumble away from your ears, although our test car’s 22in wheels (the largest available) probably didn’t help. Smaller wheels (20in ones are&nbsp;standard on Premium Line trim) might have helped ride comfort but there’s no doubt that equivalent versions of the Q7 and X5 are way ahead in terms of how well they cushion you from lumps and bumps.&nbsp;

That’s despite the GV80 coming with something called Road Preview Technology, which is essentially a camera that scans the road ahead and primes the suspension to deal with such as potholes, speed humps and other obstacles. Frankly, the system doesn’t seem to work very well –&nbsp;potholes still send an uncouth thwack through the interior.

You’re jostled around annoyingly at urban speeds,&nbsp;so if comfort is a priority, we'd say that the Genesis GV80 probably isn’t the car for you.

The GV80 corners well enough for a luxury SUV and is more agile than a Land Rover Discovery. We’d prefer a more pronounced build up of steering weight when turning into corners on faster roads, but the relative lightness is welcome in urban environments.&nbsp;

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

Although we’ve yet to try this engine in the GV80, we have sampled it in the G80 saloon – and it does need revving quite hard before it delivers its best performance. This isn’t an ideal quality in a car designed to waft its occupants around peacefully, which is why we suspect the 3.0-litre diesel is the better buy.

http://example.com

2.5T

OUR PICK

You might think you’ve never heard of the Genesis GV80 but it is, indirectly, quite famous. That’s because it’s the car Tiger Woods was driving when he had that rather nasty accident.

If your reaction to that is, ‘Oh dear, I don’t want to buy one of those then’, well consider this: LA police estimate that Woods left the road at between 84 and 87mph, hit a tree and flipped several times. The fact he even survived is not a miracle – it’s largely down to how safe the GV80 is.

<iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/05FqddwdA4Q" width="560"></iframe>

Indeed, in its subsequent <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/how-euro-ncap-crash-tests-save-lives/n15107">Euro NCAP</a> safety appraisal it secured a five-star overall rating with excellent marks for both child and adult occupant protection, plus there are loads of standard driving aids to help (if not completely guarantee) you avoid accidents in the first place.

All very impressive, but luxury SUV buyers are spoilt for choice, with outstanding cars including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q7/4x4/review/n87">Audi Q7</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x5/4x4/review/n38">BMW X5</a> available for similar money. In short, the Genesis GV80 needs to be more than just a one-trick pony if it’s going to compete seriously in such esteemed company.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/hyundais-premium-brand-genesis-to-launch-in-uk-this-year/n22996">Genesis</a> is, as it stands, the only premium brand hailing from South Korea, and the GV80 is its flagship model, sitting above the G80 saloon. All versions of the GV80 have four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and you can choose to have five or seven seats.

Over the next few pages of this review, we’ll run you through everything you need to know about the Genesis GV80 and how it squares up against its long-established rivals from Germany and elsewhere in the world.

When you’ve decided which <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-luxury-suvs-2021/n17036">luxury SUV</a>&nbsp;you want to buy, head over to the free What Car? <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">New Car Buying</a> section of our website to get yourself great discounts with no haggling on nearly all makes and models of vehicle.

The driving position is tough to fault and it’s super easy to set everything up just the way you want it. That’s because all versions of the Genesis GV80 come with fully electric front seats as standard, including adjustable lumbar support, and even the steering wheel moves up and down and in and out at the touch of a button.

The windscreen pillars get in the way a bit at junctions and roundabouts (the problem is worse if you’re tall) but you shouldn’t have any issues manoeuvring into tight spots&nbsp;thanks to a standard rear-view camera and sensors at either end of the car.

If you want extra reassurance, the Innovation Package adds a surround view monitor, displaying camera feeds from all around the car. The package also includes a feature that lets you remotely park your GV80 while you’re standing outside, in much the same way as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/tesla">Tesla</a>&nbsp;Summon function does.

An enormous 14.5in touchscreen takes centre stage in the middle of the dashboard&nbsp;and can be used to control all the infotainment functions, including music and navigation. It’s a bit of a reach if your driving position involves you having the seat quite far back, and the fact that you need to swipe left and right to access different functions is quite distracting while you’re driving.

Fortunately, there is another way to control the system: using a controller between the front seats. It works a bit like a first-generation iPod because there’s a scroll wheel that you spin with your finger to, well, scroll down the screen, plus a button in the middle to press when you want to make a selection. It doesn’t take long to get used to, although it's not as intuitive as the larger iDrive rotary controller in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x5/4x4/review/n38">BMW X5</a>.

You get smartphone mirroring for Android and Apple devices as standard on all GV80s, along with a nine-speaker sound system. The optional 18-speaker Lexicon system is well worth considering if you like to crank up the volume, though – it resists distortion and the sound quality is excellent.&nbsp;

As for interior quality, the GV80 isn’t quite a match for the best German rivals, but we reckon it edges the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/discovery/4x4/review/n17342">Land Rover Discovery</a>. Admittedly, our experience is limited to range-topping Luxury Line models with the optional nappa Leather Seats Pack, but the GV80 feels sturdier inside than, say, a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/gle/4x4/review/n145">Mercedes GLE</a> (the indicator stalks feel particularly classy). Only some cheap, scratchy plastic around the centre of the steering wheel lets the side down.

Not without its strengths but there are better all-rounders

You wouldn’t expect a five-metre-long SUV to feel anything other than hugely roomy inside, and there are no surprises in the front of the Genesis GV80.&nbsp;As well as having plenty of head and leg room for a couple of tall people, you’ll find a good selection of storage cubbies – something that helps make up for the small door pockets and poky glovebox.

The second-row seats are more than roomy enough for a couple of six-footers – although leg room isn’t quite as generous as in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q7/4x4/review/n87">Audi Q7</a> – and if you stump up for the Comfort Seat Pack, the seats gain the ability to slide back and forth and recline under their own power.&nbsp;

If you add that pack to seven-seat models, the third row seats can be summoned electrically from the boot floor. Leg room in these rearmost seats is reasonable&nbsp;but head room is decidedly tight. The Q7 is better in that respect, but if you want a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-luxury-suvs-2021/n17036">luxury SUV</a> that can carry around seven adults in proper comfort, check out our reviews of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x7/4x4/review/n19102">BMW X7</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/discovery/4x4/review/n17342">Land Rover Discovery</a>.

With all seven seats in use&nbsp;there’s hardly any space left for luggage, but when you fold them away into the floor (or if you’ve gone for the five-seat GV80) there’s loads of space for family holiday clutter or a few sets of golf clubs. <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/hyundais-premium-brand-genesis-to-launch-in-uk-this-year/n22996">Genesis</a> quotes official boot capacity in an unusual way, making comparisons with European rivals slightly tricky – although we’ll be conducting our own <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/watch-most-and-least-fuel-efficient-cars-revealed-%E2%80%93-true-mpg/n21399">real-world tests</a> in the coming weeks.

premium-line

You’ll need to upgrade to Luxury Line trim if you want genuine leather seats, heated rear seats and rear wood trim on the dashboard. We’d stick with cheaper Premium Line, though.

Luxury Line

luxury-line

The Genesis GV80 combines an excellent Euro NCAP safety score with a smooth diesel engine and plenty of kit for the money. It can’t compete with the best German alternatives as an all-round package, though.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Logical and beautifully built interior, with great infotainment</li> <li>More than enough space for five passengers or, even better, seven</li> <li>Strong performance along with impressive efficiency</li> <li>Composed handling that limits any feeling of unwieldiness</li></ul>

We class a luxury SUV as being anything where our pick of the range costs more than £45,000 – and at this price point, buyers' expectations are high. So, as well as all of the qualities that make regular SUVs such well-rounded choices –&nbsp;such as decent space for passengers and luggage, a classy interior and robust materials – we also want a cosseting ride, the latest driver assistance technology and enough space to really stretch out.

The Land Rover Discovery proves that you don't need to spend a lot of money to get a luxurious SUV, but if you've got a bit more to spend, the Audi Q7 is perennially popular among buyers, and with good reason. Or, at the very top of this market, there are newer additions such as the BMW X7 to consider.

Luxury SUV

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all passengers</li> <li>Large boot with lots of clever storage solutions</li> <li>Good fuel economy and running costs</li> <li>All-round comfort</li> <li>High-quality interior finish</li></ul>

We define a large SUV as anything longer than 4.5 metres. These cars aren’t usually particularly cheap to buy or lease, so in return we expect a roomy cabin, a lengthy list of standard equipment and excellent cruising refinement. A few models in this class are two-wheel drive, but the vast majority have four-wheel drive for at least a modicum of off-road ability.

The Mazda CX-5 is firmly road-focused, but its 2.0-litre petrol engine is a strong, refined performer, making it looks good value for less than&nbsp;£25k. If you can stretch the budget a fair bit, the Audi Q5 provides a combination of comfort, driving prowess, quality and space that's hard to beat. Unlike some rivals, it can't be had with seven seats, though.

A more affordable, yet well-equipped alternative is the Peugeot 5008. It’s more than capable of coping with family life&nbsp;– and all versions have seven seats as standard.&nbsp;

Genesis GV80 review

Introduction

What Car? says...